Combined valve and air-tight cushion for bottled water dispensers



Oct. 11, 1932. F. M. PoTTENGER, .JR

COMBINED VALVE AND AIR TIGHT CUSHION FOR BOTTLED WATER DISPENSERS FiledDec. 9. l1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hg, Z

In vezziar Francis /ZPaZtelzegeK/ MW Y .tarlz ey,

lll/1 0d 11, 1932- F. M. POTTENGER. JR 1,881,929

COMBINED VALVE AND AIR TIGHT CUSHION FOR BOTTLED WATER DISPENSERS FiledDec. 9, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l rl iig-.0A

luverzzor Fra/izda Z. Paita n'geJ/r l l l g a v itnrney i i 4dispenser`partly in in assembling the valve. These and other objects andadvantages orf-my invention will be clear from the detailed descriptionto follow, considered with the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Fig. 1is a side'elevation of a bottled water section incorporating' myimprovement;

i along the line 3P-3;

' ioniin lvertical section,1sl`1`owing the relation n Fig. 2 is'aplanview of my rubber cushion; Fig. 3 is a vertical section ofFig. takenFig. .4 is an enlargedv fragment of my cushof the valveparts'beforeassembly; f Fig. 5 is similar to` Fig. 4, showing the valve parts foldedinto their operative` position'; v.

fFig.'6 is an enlarged'fragmentary horizontal section of-Fig. 3, takenas indicated bythe line 6-6'; Y y V Fig. V7 is a plan view of a modifiedform of -the rubbercushion;

'-Fig..-8 is a central vertical section taken as indicated by the lines8-8 of Fig.'7

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragment of Fig. 8

showing thel twocoactingY Valve lips of the y'modified form in theirclosed position;

Fig. 1 0 is similarto Fig. 9, showing the valve -lipsopen; and ig. 11 isan enlarged fragmentary hori- Zontal Vsection vof Fig. 8 taken asindicated i `a vent in the cushion C is to admit air to the YhayingLanannular voutwardly disposed `flange 26 integral therewith' andat the top by the lines 11-11. `Y VIn Fig. 1 a continuousv cushion C isinterposed between a drinking water dispenser D and an inverted bottleB, the cushion serving u as a'seat forthe latter. The dispenser D restsuponv a suitable frame or stand 20. The type of Y dispenser chosen forillustration is the Olla type, made of unglazed pottery. When afilledbottle of water Yis v seated in the dispenser ()as shown, water passesfrom the bottle into the dispenser until the surface 21 of the watervinthe dispenser rises to seal,

the open end of the bottle, thereby preventing further passage of waterfrom the bottle to the dispenser. As water is drawn ofi' fromthedispenser through its faucet 22, the surface 21 of thel water` in thevdispenser is loweredv from Contact with the bottle, and air VV from thespace 23 in the dispenser above the `Water enters the'bottle andfbubblesthrough the water in the bottle to the space 24 at the top of theVinverted bottle. The purpose of space 23 as required for the abovedescribed action. e

The cushion C may be of anycontinuous configuration to conform with theshape of the dispenser and bottle, preferably circular. My preferredform consists of a ring portion edge thereof. The cushion is suitablydimen- 4si'oned tofseatsnuglyin the top rim of the Y `dispenser D, andis shaped to embrace the inverted bottle lrmaling in both 'casesjsub A.

stantially air-tight contact.

A vent passage 27, preferably rectangular Y in cross-section, opensinwardly at the bottom of ring portion 25 to communicate with space 23within the dispenser D. It extends upward through the ring-portionv25,outwardV throughr annular'flange 26, andv terminally turns downwardly tocommunicate with the f atmospln-ne at thejunder surface of flange 26.Preferably, a portion of the annular flange 26Vextends radiallyoutward'intlie form of an 'overhanging lip 28". The' purpose of this lipis to vforma body through which the vent aperturer27 may be extendedradially from the ring portion 'and by which ythe exterior end of thepassage may be effectively shielded from above.V The lip also serves tordesirably `extend the length of the vent pas`` sade.

Passage 27, preferably near its-outerend,

is normally sealed by a valve V which automatically opens to admit thepassage ofair to space23 as required'. Preferably thisvalve is a lflapvalve that is opened by external pressure and, as shown in Figs. 4.and5,may be made integral with the cushion. For this purpose l terminate ventpassage 27 in a T-shaped opening in lip 28, the head 29 ofmaybepivotally turned or folded inwardly.

Integral with plug-32 is 'an extended Hap e 32a. Plug 32 is sodimensioned that when f folded inwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, it issnugly received and retained by the head portion 29 ofthe T-shapedopening. When the plug is soV ositioned abuttingthe louterl ends of eshoul ers 31, flapv 32a overlies shoulders 31 and extends inwardlytoentirely Vseal the stem portion* 30 of the T-sha-ped opening.' The iap32a may be `lifted by ya slight preponderance of external pressure. Itis evident that the valve .may be cheaply manufacturedy andV quicklyassembled to its operative position.

The operation of my invention may be understood from 4the foregoingdescription. f When water level 21,drops from contact with the bottle',it is restored by water 'passing space 23 passesinto the bottle vtocompensate for the loss of water. jWhen air in'space 23 is suflicientlyreduced in pressure'by such action, atmospheric pressure opens fiapvalve V to admit additional air.

A modified form C of my cushion Figs. 7 to 10, inclusivleissubstantially idenshown in' -fromthe bottle to the dispenser and'airfrom iso l vtical to the preferred form shownl above, ex-V cept in theconstruction ofthe valve V. All other parts have corresponding numerals.

In this form, passage 27 terminates outwardly in a downwardly presentedand preferably rectangular opening 35, theV innerl edge of which isdefined by a shoulder 86. This rectangular opening is spanned by twocoacting valve lips 37, contiguous edges of which mutually impinge tonormally seal off the opening. Lips 37 have an inherent tendency tomaintain the seal as shown in Fig. 9,

' but are suitably shaped to be sensitive to external pressure,responding by collapsing inwardly j and momentarily separating, as shownin Fig. l0. Preferably the lips are integral with the cushion, onespringing from shoulder 36 and the otherl from the overhanging end 33 oflip 28', but the valve may be formed in a separate rectangular plugdesigned to be cemented into opening 35. In either case, it is preferredthat'the lips be permanently sealed along their lateral edges to thesides of rectangular opening 35. Actuated by external atmosphericpressure the valve V serves the same purpose as valve V inthe preferredform. One advantage of the modified form is that the two lips, whenmomentarily collapsed inwardly as indicated in Fig. 10, tend, because oftheir inherent elasticity, to return to the normal position indicated inFig. 9 with a quick, positive movement. This outward Hip tends to keepthe lips free from dust andV effectively dis-` tially air-tight jointbetween an inverted bottle and a water dispenser, comprising: a

continuous rubber member having a lateral .passage yextendingtherethrough; and a pressure-actuated valve normally sealing saidpassage. n

3. A cushion adapted to form a substantially air-tight joint betweenvaninverted bottle and a water dispenser, comprising: a

continuous rubber member having a lateral passage extendingtherethrough, said passage being downwardly disposed at its outer end;and a valve normally sealing saidpassage.

4. A cushion adapted to form a substan tiallyVair-tight seat foran'inverted water bottle in awater dispenser, comprising: a

rubber member having a ring portion formed with an integral annularflange at the upper edge thereof, said member having a passagev f ditherethrough extending from the bottomof the Vring portion-through theannular flange;

and av valve within said passage normally.

sealing the outer end of said passage and adapted to be opened byexternalpressure. 5. A cushion adaptedl to form a substanbottle in awater dispenser, comprising: a rubber member having a ring portionformed with an integral yannular flange at the upper edge thereof, saidmember havinga passage'. therethrough extending from the bottom of thering portion through the annular flange, the outer end of the passagebeing disposed downwardly; and a valve within said passage.

normally sealing the outerend of said pas-- sage and adapted to beopened by external pressure. j

6. In a continuous rubber cushion having a passage therethrough andadapted to formV a substantially air-tightfseat for an inverted bottlein a water dispenser, a valve comprising a flap integral with saidcushion' and adapted to `be foldedinto an operativeposition within saidpassage.

7. In a'continuous rubber cushion having a passage therethrough andvadapted to forma seat'for an inverted bottle in a water dispenser, avalve comprising: a plug integrally hinged to the cushion; and a flapintegral with the plug, said plug and flap beingadapted to fold into. anoperative position within said passage, the passage being formed tosecure the plug in the folded positionfand to l present suitablecomplementary valve surl faces to said flap. j A i v 8. In a continuousrubber cushion having a passage therethrough and adapted to Vform asubstantially air-tight seal for an invertedV bottle in a waterdispenser, avalve compris-'f ing a pair of mutually opposed coactinglips normally sealing said passage *and adapted to be separated byexternal atmospheric pres- Y,

a substantially air-tight seal for an inverted 9. .In 'axcontinuousrubber vcushion having` a passage therethrough and adapted to form H5.,

bottle in a water dispenser,fa v.valve compris-f ing a pair of outwardlyextending mutually opposed coacting lips normally sealing said passageand adapted to be collapsed inwardly by external pressure, said lipsrinherent elasticity to j cause a relativelyquick return to theirnorhaving sufficient mal positions after being so `collapsed inwardly.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my nameVthis 4th day of December 1930.

FRANCIS M. POTTENGER, JR.

iso

tially air-tightseat for an inverted water 75` i l Y

